Walking beam



May 10, 1932. w. SCHWEMLEIN WALKING BEAM Filed Feb. 5, 1950 Patented May 16, 1932 UNITED STATES rAreNr OFFICE WILLIAM SCHWEMLEIN, OF PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PARKERSBURG- RIG & REEL COMFANY, OF PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, A COR- PORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA WALKING BEAM Application filed February 3, 1930. Serial No. 425,666.

This invention relates to walking beams for oil well drilling apparatus.

It is the common practice to mount the walking beams of oil well drilling apparatus on suitable trunnions centrally of the length thereof and to transmit power to one end of the beam. The opposite end of the beam is provided with means for connecting the beam to the temper screw to effect reciprocation thereof, and the point of connection between the temper screw and the bearing therefor carried by the walking beam is materially above the axis of oscillation of the walking beam when the latter is in horizontal position. Accordingly with ordinary constructions, the arcuate movement of the temper screw hearing about the trunnions of the walking beam transmits not only a reciprocating movement to the temper screw,

but also transmits a substantial horizontal movement thereto. WValking beam yokes or- .inarily are required for compensating for the horizontal motion referred to.

Furthermore, it has become a more or less common practice in recent years to form of the fact that various connections carried by the walking beam are attached thereto by bolts or rivets passing through openings drilled in the upper and lower bases of the I-beams.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a walking beam structure which materially reduces the horizontal movement ordinarily transmitted to the polish rod, thus permitting the elimination of the walking beam yoke.

A further object is to provide a novel walking beam of I-beam structure wherein the majority of drilled openings in the bases of the walking beam are eliminated, thus greatly strengthening the beam.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodi,

ment of the invention. In this showing,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the walking beam, parts being broken away,

Figure 2 is a side elevation, parts being broken away,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view designates the body of the walking beam as a whole which comprises an Lbeam having a web 11 and upper and lower bases or flanges 12 and 13 respectively. At spaced points, the web of the beam is reinforced by angle iron or similar plates 14, preferably riveted thereto.

Referring to Figures 2 and 4, the numeral 15 designates a pair of members as a whole for supporting the walking beam for oscillating movement. Each of the members 15 comprises a trunnion plate 16 carrying bolt receiving sleeves 17 through which pass bolts 18 forattaching the two plates 16 t0 the web of the I-beam. Each of the members 16 is provided with a substantially cylindrical inte ral extension 19 from which projects a trunnion 20' adapted to be supported in suitable bearings. Reinforcing webs 21 preferably are formed integral with each support 15 as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

One end of the beam is provided with a pitman connection indicated as a whole by the numeral 22. This connection includes a bottom plate 23 and a top plate 24 spaced from each other by blocks 25 and secured to the bearing includes a pair of bearing members 28 arranged at opposite sides of the web of the walking beam and secured thereto by rivets or the like 29. Each of the members 28 includes a horizontal flange 29 connected to the lower body portion of the member by a reinforcing. web 30. The vertical portions of the members 28 through which the rivets 29 pass may be relatively thin, while the remaining portions are preferably somewhat thicker. The upper ends of the members 28 are flanged as at 31 and riveted to the flange 12 of the walking beam as at 32. The lower inner extremity of each member 28 also is provided with a flange element 33 seating against the adjacent portion of the lower beam flange 13 and riveted thereto as at 34.

Each of the horizontal flanges 29 is apertured as at 35 to receive bolts or other fastening elements 36 by means of which blocks 37 are secured to the flanges 29. The blocks 37 and flanges 29 are spaced from each other, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to receive the ver tical portion of a T connection carried by the temper screw, the horizontal portion of the connection resting upon the blocks 37, as will be apparent.

The operation of the device is as follows:

In assembling the device, it will be noted that the trunnion members 15 are bolted through the web of the beam, and the flanges of the latter are not drilled. Accordingly the greater portion of the lengths of the flanges of the beam are solid, thus providing the walking beam with approximately ten per cent. greater beam strength than ordinarily is present in structures of this character. The plates 16 of the trunnion members 15 seat solidly against the inner faces of the flanges 12 and 13, thus assisting in rigidly securing the trunnion members in position.

The trunnions 20 are mounted in suitable bearings, will be apparent, and it will be noted that when the beam is in horizontal position, the axis of oscillation of the beam will be substantially in horizontal alinement with the temper screw bearing surface. Accordingly the T connection of the temper screw moves equal distances above and below the horizontal plane of the axis of oscillation, thus reducing the horizontal motion of the temper screw by substantially half. This operation permits the elimination of the usual walking beam yoke, as previously stated.

Power is transmitted to the walking beam by the usual pitman-connection in the manner previously referred to, and the temper screw bearing members are so constructed as to take up the vertical strains to which they are subjected. Each of the temper screw bearing members is preferably integral and these members are rigidly connected to the adjacent end of the beam. With the structure illustrated, it is necessary to drill only a few openings in the flanges of the beam, and these openings are arranged adjacent the extremities of the beam, and accordingly do not materially reduce the beam strength.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a walking beam structure comprising a web and upper and lower flanges associated with the web, a pair of members secured to one end of the beam, each of said members including a vertical flange seated against the web of said beam and a horizontal flange extending longitudinally beyond said beam, said horizontal flanges being arranged parallel to and spaced from each other, and bearing blocks arranged on said horizontal flanges.

2. In a walking beam structure comprising a web and upper and lower flanges associated with the web, a pair of members arranged at one end of the beam, each of said members including a vertical flange secured to the web of the beam and outstanding upper and lower flanges secured to said upper and lower flanges of the beam, each of said members further including a horizontal flange, said horizontal flanges being arranged parallel to and spaced from each other, and bearing blocks arranged on said horizontal flanges.

3. In a walking beam structure comprising a web and upper and lower flanges associated with the web, a pair of members arranged at one end of the beam, each of said members including a vertical flange secured to the web of the beam and outstanding upper and lower flanges secured to said upper and lower flanges of the beam, each of said members including a horizontal flange and a web reinforcing the latter flange, said horizontal flanges being arranged parallel to and spaced from each other, and bearing blocks arranged on said horizontal flanges.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM SCHIVEMLEIN. 

